


An Undying Crimson Light

by missreala



Category: NiGHTS into Dreams, ナイツ 〜星降る夜の物語〜 | NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams (Video Game)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:08:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23249749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missreala/pseuds/missreala
Summary: The year is 2019. Claris Sinclair is a music teacher and a mother of three. Elliot Edwards has stumbled into the IT field and hasn't picked up a basketball in years. What both don't yet realize is that their reunion will come much sooner than expected - and this time, it's not just their Ideya on the line.
Kudos: 10





	An Undying Crimson Light

Cricket found herself in an early Autumn forest after dark, chilly but not unreasonably so, branches creaking in the wind overhead. She took a deep breath of the crisp air, relishing it - she had spent the last week trapped between her 4th grade classroom and her mother's flat, the constant rain vetoing any thought of outdoor play. Well, by grown up standards anyway, and unfortunately nine-year-olds were quite oppressed by grown ups in England. Cricket caught a glimmer of firelight through the trees as though there was a campsite nearby, and quickened her pace a bit. She outstretched her arms and closed her eyes as the wind picked up, feeling it fly through her auburn hair. She felt like she could jump into a breeze like this and let it carry her away like a bird, away from her mundane life and into something more magical. At least there was no one to snap at her for daydreaming here.

Cricket reached the little fire, crackling pleasantly, and found a tray of graham crackers, chocolate bars, marshmallows and skewers nearby. She didn't find this odd in the slightest, nor did she have any reservations about immediately grabbing a skewer and impaling a marshmallow with it. This was *her* dream, after all. She sat down on a nearby log which was just large enough that her sneakered feet didn't reach the ground, kicking happily as she toasted the marshmallow over the fire.

"You must be a very smart little girl!"

Cricket whirled around to face the source of the voice, tragically dropping her skewer into the flames in the process. A teenage girl with long blonde hair was stepping out of the shadowy forest, smiling and pulling off her hood to reveal a pale blue-eyed face smeared with dark war paint. "Your name is Catherine, right?" she inquired. She had an American accent.

"Everyone calls me Cricket." Cricket said curtly, rather annoyed at the intrusion. She stood up and reached for another marshmallow, showing exactly zero interest in a potential conversation with this stranger. Regardless, the girl continued.

"My name is Holly." she said, walking over to Cricket and offering a hand to her. Misunderstanding the gesture, Cricket immediately placed a graham cracker in it. Holly stared at it blankly, but only for a moment before pasting a smile back on.

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

"Um.... I guess not."

Holly sat cross-legged on the log, absent-mindedly tapping her booted foot on the ground. She watched Cricket uncomfortably turning another marshmallow over the fire, standing awkwardly under Holly's surveillance.

"You're Claris's little girl, aren't you?" Holly asked suddenly.

"How do you know my mum?" Cricket's brow furrowed.

"Oh, me and your mom go *way* back!" Holly grinned, which Cricket found disconcerting, though she couldn't quite put a finger on why. Cricket's mother was a high school music teacher and Cricket had often accompanied her to West Bellbridge High events and performances - Ms. Sinclair didn't exactly have a lot of money to spend on childcare when Katie wasn't available. In all that time spent around teenagers, Cricket had never met a Big Girl like this who had so much interest in talking to her before.

"You know we're special, right? Most people can't tell when they're dreaming like we can." Holly continued.

"Umm, maybe." Cricket wasn't sure what to say to this.

It was at this moment that the peace of the forest clearing was interrupted by a great deal of flapping and shouting.

"HEY!" a voice shouted. *Another* intruder? A young, tawny owl had erupted into the clearing, a messenger bag at his side, clutching a cap to his head. 

"Leave that visitor alone! On behalf of the Great Mother, I command you to SCRAM!" the avian ordered, glowering at Holly.

"Oh, I'm not even allowed to have a pleasant conversation now, I guess." Holly rolled her eyes, standing and placing her hands on her hips. With a snap of her fingers and an odd red glow, the young owl was sent flying into the nearest tree with a screech. He slammed into the trunk and fell to the ground with a horrible thud, a few feathers flying to spiral down after him in slow circles.

Cricket stared, frozen, mouth hanging open. Her marshmallow was now on fire. Holly then turned to her, still smiling her freezing smile. Cricket's stomach lurched in terror.

"Hey, sorry you had to see that, kid. Looks like we won't be able to finish our conversation, what a shame. Would you do me one favor?" Holly's voice was dangerously sweet.

Cricket nodded robotically.

"Great! I need to see your mom tomorrow night, okay? It's super important, she'll understand. You seem like a smart girl, I'm sure you know how to get us all in one place. Just don't tell her, okay? It's a surprise." Holly winked, baring her teeth in a grin. The owl's body twitched where it lay a few feet behind her.

Cricket opened her mouth to respond, when her head was suddenly flooded by the earsplitting sound of a ringing alarm, sending Holly and the owl and the forest flying out of her senses.

She jolted awake and sat bolt upright, gasping for breath.

"Cricket..... your alarm is going off..... *please*......" her older sister moaned groggily from her bed on the other side of the room, her tone comparable to that of a Medieval traitor of the crown begging for the torture to stop.

Cricket slammed the off-button and wiped the sleep out of her eyes. Monday was upon the Sinclair household again.


End file.
